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Old 15-06-2019, 15:13   #1
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Outboard size for med cruising

Just about to start long term cruising to med. What size outboard do most people use?
We currently have a 2.5 hp 4 stroke for our Highfield 2.9. Nice motor but a bit slow for long distances.
We expect to be mostly anchoring, using the tender extensively for trips ashore.
I'm thinking we should be getting a bigger outboard so we can get to planing speeds, and increase the distance we could use the tender for shore visits.
What do people cruising in the med think?
Do your trips ashore need a faster tender or are the trips generally a short distance?
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Old 21-06-2019, 23:45   #2
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Re: Outboard size for med cruising

We have been using a zodiac Yachtline 380 with a Honda 50HP and this rans as a recreational vehicle as well as our car. We have just changed to a Williams 285 Jet but still to test it out in anger. However, many people here in Adriatic / Med with 40ft cats seem to go for highfields with up to 30HP. However, for the med given the fickle ways of weather and sometimes slightly longer travel distances. I would suggest you put the largest HP engine the spec of your tender will allow. I would guess 10-15HP maybe even 20HP for yours.
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Old 21-06-2019, 23:52   #3
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Re: Outboard size for med cruising

Our Highfield 360 has a 15hp Mercury 2 stroke which is OK. I’d prefer a 30hp. On our other boat, the Highfield 380 has a 40hp two stroke.
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Old 22-06-2019, 00:04   #4
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Re: Outboard size for med cruising

I agree, generally for cruisers in med the bigger the engine you can safely install the better. After watching charter vessels with 2.5HP outboards struggle where we are in Croatia at the moment. I suggest that you could be come very frustrated and wet.
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Old 22-06-2019, 01:32   #5
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Re: Outboard size for med cruising

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Andy.
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Old 22-06-2019, 02:27   #6
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Re: Outboard size for med cruising

A better dinghy and bigger engine open up new worlds anywhere, including med. We run a 3.3 m all aluminum dinghy (think delos) and a 20 hp. 25 would be nicer but there was no size or weight difference between the 15 and 20 so we went with that.

While others have to crowd the shore to use the 2.5 hp dinks, we anchor safely out of the crowd of charter boats trying to snag anchors for sport, go 5 miles to a town or dive site in minutes, dry and safe in serious wind or chop on plane with 100 cans of beer between us. Get the biggest of both you can safely and easily handle.
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Old 22-06-2019, 03:48   #7
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Re: Outboard size for med cruising

I did perfectly fine with my 3.5hp 2 stroke. It never stopped me anchoring away or exploring but I was more mindful of it. The majority of cruisers i've come across in the Med use small engines. Or have two engines, but mostly use the small one for getting to and from town/dinghy dock etc..

I think though that you can't go wrong with something powerful enough to plane when 2 up. Like a Tohatsu 10hp 2 stroke.

The whole topic of anchoring further out though is a bit of a red herring. As mostly in the med the further out you anchor the more you will be exposed to the winds and swells.
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Old 23-06-2019, 15:13   #8
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Re: Outboard size for med cruising

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Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Andy.
Thank you Gord. Hopefully I'll be posting more, not just reading.
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Old 23-06-2019, 15:14   #9
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Re: Outboard size for med cruising

Thanks for everyones comments
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Old 23-06-2019, 15:19   #10
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Re: Outboard size for med cruising

Thanks for everyones comments. We now have a Tohatsu 9.8 2 stroke so not too worried now about distance from anchorage to town.
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Old 07-07-2019, 02:29   #11
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Re: Outboard size for med cruising

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Originally Posted by AndyCat View Post
Thanks for everyones comments. We now have a Tohatsu 9.8 2 stroke so not too worried now about distance from anchorage to town.
Great motor. We put a set of foils on ours, big improvement to the performance.
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Old 04-08-2019, 15:06   #12
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Re: Outboard size for med cruising

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Great motor. We put a set of foils on ours, big improvement to the performance.
Can you point me to some info on the foils?
Thanks
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Old 04-08-2019, 15:30   #13
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Re: Outboard size for med cruising

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Thanks for everyones comments. We now have a Tohatsu 9.8 2 stroke so not too worried now about distance from anchorage to town.
Until you get to Portugal and find it's 20-30knt winds every afternoon/evening when you want to go for dinner.
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Old 04-08-2019, 15:30   #14
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Re: Outboard size for med cruising

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Can you point me to some info on the foils?
Thanks
https://www.whitworths.com.au/nuova-...ydrofoil-black
Hi, these are the ones that I bought. I have a friend who has just fitted some to his 9.8 after seeing mine. His dinghy is heavier & he is really impressed with the improvement in performance especially when getting it up on the plane.
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Old 04-08-2019, 23:23   #15
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Re: Outboard size for med cruising

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Originally Posted by Davo1404 View Post
https://www.whitworths.com.au/nuova-...ydrofoil-black
Hi, these are the ones that I bought. I have a friend who has just fitted some to his 9.8 after seeing mine. His dinghy is heavier & he is really impressed with the improvement in performance especially when getting it up on the plane.
Thanks, looks like I can get them in UK too.
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